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Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Siberian Chiffchaff on the patch

Quick look on Mill Lane around the patch this afternoon between the wintry showers produced some nice quality birds rather than quantity. Found a very smart pale phyllosc warbler been very elusive in the blackthorn hedge along Mill lane. On first views showed bright white belly, white supercilium extending beyond the eye, very pale grey plumage (head, mantle,wings). A bright green wing panel on the wing got me excited thinking I found a Bonelli's Warbler. The Warbler showed well on few occasions peeping and flittering out of the hedge, occasionally flycatching. Behaviour of the bird sulking in dense cover, tail bobbing, flycatching and constant movement in the dense cover made full on views brief.

Both Hannah & myself achieved good views of the bird for about 10mins.

I ran back for the camera and returned after a heavy shower, with luck the bird was still present but proved even more elusive. A few more brief views of the bird revealed absence of bright yellowish rump (feature of Bonelli's Warbler). Despite the bright white belly and supercilium through off a 100% confident ID of the bird.

The bird never showed again but we are both certain that It was Siberian Chiffchaff after scrutiny research. A nice spring patch record. Call was never heard so 100% ID will never be certain. I never managed any images of the bird as it never showed well after our first views. Took plenty of notes & sketches. Hopefully the bird sticks around for a few more day's to be refound.